The NPC recently contacted all current CLASP members to gauge the feeling of an alternative format, which would allow the competition to run on the same day, but remotely using technology. This will stop gatherings of people and help to keep our members safe, but in this technically advanced world we live in, we believe that things can be kept going. If we knew that this would be the only affected competition this year, I think the option to cancel would be an easier one, but the current situation may go on longer and we do face unknown times.
The idea has been well received so far by members and we can now confirm that the NPC will start preparing to run the competition remotely. Having listened to members views, the NPC has made a few tweaks to the initial idea and after much thought, here is what we believe will work best and minimise technical issues on the day and give the judges undisturbed audio files to best judge each performance. The National Piping Centre will facilitate competitors where we can with time zone differences, a space to use to make the video call if required (but only a small number) and if it is safe to do so at that time.
For the remote competition, competitors would need the following:
- Internet and suitable device to make a live video call to CLASP admin
- Smartphone or recording device to record the audio of the live video call performance with the capacity to email performance on same day to CLASP admin. (Same idea as used for CLASP grading purposes currently).
- If competitors choose to use Skype, please download Skype (free download) onto your PC/Laptop and make sure that the webcam and mic are working- the webcam and mic tend to be inbuilt in most devices nowadays. We can test that this works before the competition if anyone has not used Skype before.
The competition would work as follows:
The rules for a remote competition will be as follows to allow a level playing field for all taking part:
- All performances will be captured live via video link. CLASP admin staff will make live video contact with each competitor (at their allocated time for Piobaireachd and their allocated time for Light Music) using Skype, WhatsApp, Facetime etc..
- At this time we also ask that each competitor take an audio recording of their live video performance on their smartphone/recording device at the same time as their live video call performance and competitors can then email the audio file using MP3/dropbox/wetransfer to CLASP admin after the live video call has ended.
-Competitors will be asked by CLASP admin to turn on their recording device and admin staff will announce the event and competitor number so every recording will start with this introduction. It will be the audio file taken at this time that will be used by the judges to decide the results and therefore we stress the importance of having devices fully charged and tested prior to the event. A helper could be more relaxing for competitors on the day!
- Tune submissions (Both Light Music and Piobaireachd) should be emailed to the CLASP admin team no later than Friday 20th March and each competitor will be emailed their tune selection the day prior to the competition (Friday 27th March).
Saturday 28th March will be used as the competition day where Finlay Johnston (TBC) and Margaret Dunn will collect the live audio recordings from competitors. The audio recordings will then be sent to the judges on Saturday 28th March and the Judges will spend Sunday (29th March) judging and writing Crit sheets for each performance and results will be announced on Sunday afternoon/evening via the CLASP website. Crit sheets will be emailed to competitors after results are issued.
The use of the audio files will take any technical problems out of the equation, this is how all CLASP grading recordings are currently done.
Entries for the CLASP competition will now be open until Friday 20th March and the draw will be emailed to competitors over the weekend (not published online until after the results have been announced on Sunday). To enter the competition or to become a CLASP member please visit www.theclasp.co.uk or if you have any questions please email both fjohnston@thepipingcentre.co.uk and mdunn@thepipingcentre.co.uk